Can I Build Muscle When Cutting? The answer is yes. It is possible to build a small amount of muscle while in a calorie deficit, but it isn't going to be as much as if you were in a caloric surplus. It is essential to remember that when cutting, your body is in a calorie deficit.
If you can sustain a lifting program and eat a caloric deficit, your body will be able to pull from its fat stores to both fuel itself and potentially build muscle mass. Prioritizing foods rich in protein is a key component to both losing body fat and building muscle at the same time.
In order to cut successfully, you need to reduce your energy intake. If you take in fewer calories than your body uses up, your body will burn fat. If you have a calorie deficit over an extended period, some muscle mass will always be lost.
Furthermore, the longer the cut, the more muscle mass is lost overall since it is impossible to avoid muscle loss, so keep this in mind. Most bodybuilders do not exceed cuts of 4 months but usually do at least 2 months.
A cutting diet lasts 2–4 months, depending on how lean you are before dieting, and is normally timed around bodybuilding competitions, athletic events, or occasions like holidays ( 4 ).
Thus, as long as your body has sufficient stimulus to build muscle mass, which it has if your training program is optimized, it has both the means and the will to build muscle mass while simultaneously losing fat. There you go, muscle growth during a cut.
Yes, strength training during a cutting phase is critical to maintaining as much lean muscle mass as you can during this lower-calorie phase. The more muscle mass you can maintain, the lower your body fat gets as you drop weight.
For beginners, it isn't too uncommon to build muscle while cutting. For intermediate or advanced lifters, maintaining your muscle mass during a cut is often a more realistic goal, and if you are able to train hard enough to actually increase your muscle mass while cutting, then that is just a bonus.
It's pretty simple. If you're lean enough to bulk (10-15% body fat or less for a man, or 18-23% or less for a woman), you should probably bulk first. If you're above these ranges, you should cut first. And if you're a beginner who's somewhere in the middle, you should recomp.
Is Gaining Muscle On A 500-Calorie Diet Possible? Yes, you can. Contrary to what some in the fitness world believe, you do not have to choose between either losing weight or gaining weight and can gain muscle even on a calorie deficit.
Eat at a caloric deficit
Just as the aim of bulking is to be in a caloric surplus, the aim of cutting is to be in a caloric deficit. This puts you in a “catabolic” state — one where tissue is broken down in the body. Keep your calorie intake below maintenance, but don't go too low.
So, what are the best rep ranges for cutting? The best rep range for cutting is one that allows you to sometimes train with heavier loads to preserve basic strength (5-10 reps) and more moderate to light loads to allow you to retain as much muscle while training in higher volumes (10-20 reps).
The answer is yes - though you're unlikely to develop as much mass and strength as you would in a caloric surplus, it is still quite important to maintain progressive overload while cutting, as this will not only help prevent muscle loss but also allow you to continue your physical development, albeit at a slower pace.
The bottom line is that you don't need to drastically change your training program when you start cutting. Instead, keep following the same strength training program during your cut that you'd follow when eating more calories.
Circuit training is great for cutting because of the fact that it's a heavy cardiovascular workout but also has benefits of weight training such as strength etc. The only one thing you have to watch out for is the fact that it is demanding because you're always working.
Competitive bodybuilders typically follow a cutting diet for 2–4 months . A person can decide the duration of a cutting diet according to their individual needs, but it is not a long-term diet. Bodybuilders usually go through a bulking phase before a cutting diet.
Once you reach a body fat percent of 15% for men or 25% for women, that's when you'll want to start the cut. With a calorie deficit and ensuing weight loss, you'll start losing that fat gain you've put on over the winter months.
If you are underweight, you should bulk. If you are overweight, you need to cut; however, the less training experience you have, the more likely it is that you will gain muscle simultaneously as you lean out (though you'll lose weight overall).
You should bulk first if you are skinny fat. A 10% caloric surplus is optimal to build muscle while ensuring you don't put on a lot of excess body fat. Stay in a surplus for a minimum of 4 months and then begin a slow, gradual cut.
A dirty bulk refers to a period of aggressive weight gain used to promote muscle and strength gains in strength sports and certain team sports.